Chapter 5

Chapter 1 Oh, Happy Day! (5)

***

[Welcome, savior of the world.]

"Phew... It's been a long time since I've been here."

A black, amorphous mass floated in a space filled with nothing but white light. This was the womb of all GG players, the account creation screen.

- NoruDrug: I haven't seen anyone create a new account and start streaming in a while. A few years ago, there were so many.

- Gunpowder and Blood: They're all dead. It's more reasonable to assume they're dead, especially if they've been missing for over a year in the wasteland.

- Speed Wagon: Considering the impact GG has on real life, the death of a character would significantly affect the player. There's no need to explain what happened to those streamers who used to switch characters daily and take on tough missions.

These people, there's someone right in front of you about to start a tough play session.

"Sure, sure. Thanks a lot for scaring me, viewers."

- Soy Sauce Gaybar: Oh, what's this...?

- WhaleComes: Is this person really a beginner? I was curious about what they do, so I used a hacking tool. They have everything from a recognition frame correction program, voice changer, and stream setup. Nothing is missing.

- NutriaGina: ㅁㅊ (Really) a scumbag.

- Soy Sauce Gaybar: Cam! Did you hack the cam?

- WhaleComes: The firewall was set up nicely. They're not a newbie.

Of course. I suffered a lot because of that in the past.

The professor enjoyed the sensation of his senses synchronizing with the connection device and raised the microphone.

"Hahaha, as WhaleComes said, this isn't my first time streaming. A few years ago, I did some survival streaming for a living. And if you catch me doing such nonsense again, I'll kick you out immediately, so please be careful."

- WhaleComes: 30 people getting kicked out is like freezing to death.

+ Player 'WhaleComes' has been kicked from the chat room.

+ Player 'WhaleComes' has re-entered the chat room.

- WhaleComes: Look at me.

- Professor: dd

I'm already fed up. Oh, it's spicy. They're like fresh wasabi.

No matter how much you step on them, they don't disappear. The only thing to do is to slightly manage the chat room at the beginning and then leave the rest to the self-regulation of the chat room atmosphere. I believe in you, Speed Wagon!

After confirming that the sensory synchronization was complete, the professor pulled the flashing text box in the corner of his field of vision.

[Do you want to log in with your existing character?]

"No."

[Do you want to create a new character? Creating a new character requires 500,000 silings, and your existing character will be deleted.]

"Create character."

[※Warning: If you create a new account, your existing character in / World 2 / Atlantic Warrior / World Purification Rate 68.74% 'Professor' will be completely deleted. Do you really want to delete it?]

My fingers involuntarily recoiled at the warning message in the text box, which was flashing in a deep red. It was a character I had raised while desperately immersing myself in the game to escape the hellish reality of those days. A fragment of the time when I was trying to help my family and gained some fame through streaming.

While I was momentarily lost in my thoughts, chaos erupted in the chat room shared by the viewers.

==========

- NutriaGina: What? A 70% purification rate account in World 2?

- WhaleComes: Damn, this guy is a fraud. He doesn't even have the money to run a generator. He could make 50,000 silings a day just by running it for a day.

- Holy: ...I don't know much, but is that good?

- Speed Wagon: 'Professor'. A two-handed greatsword warrior player. Ranked 158th in 2052. His video of executing the Laverton Lucinnox family was the second most popular. His streams were moderately successful.

- Jokass: The top-ranked World 2 official clear seed has a 84% purification rate. Moreover, the Atlantic Warrior class is supposed to be phased out in the original story, but he must have had a strong desire to clear the seed. Selling this account alone would easily net 2 million silings.

- Holy: Then... why isn't he playing with that character and making such an unfair contract...

- Gunpowder and Blood: He must have his reasons.

- Soy Sauce Gaybar: He must have his reasons.

- NutriaGina: He must have his reasons.

- Jokass: Lady, the most important rule in the gallery is to 'not care about others' personal matters.' Got it? The world is going crazy.

Does anyone here not have a personal story? If something seems off, like 'What the hell is this?' it's probably because they have some reason. Okay?

- Gunpowder and Blood: Sad but true. There are no deaths without a story, and none of us have been strangers to death.

- Holy: Yes... I'm sorry.

- Soy Sauce Gaybar: Oh, you're apologizing. I've never seen someone apologize so sincerely after starting a community.

- WhaleComes: Hahaha.....

- HighWayNachoman: Precious... really precious.....

- Holy: Ugh.

Fortunately, they seemed to have resolved it among themselves. Our chat room people may be rotten on the outside, but they have good hearts! They take care of everything so well!

Still, the stream is ongoing, and if I leave it like this, the people who came in will start leaving. I closed my eyes and firmly pressed the 'Yes' part of the text box, which was still flashing red.

- Ding!

[The character has been completely deleted. Creating a new character.]

- Soy Sauce Gaybar: ㅁㅊ (Really) he deleted it.

- NamBaThree: What kind of situation could it be?

- Choryakkitaji: Men need to be careful. Yeah.

- TakeALook: Oh, really.

- Jokass: Shh! It's starting!

The black mass floating in front of me slowly approached, then dispersed into a list of bold letters.

+ Race

+ Gender

+ Appearance

+ Age

+ Starting

+ Origin

+ Traits

One of the features of this game is the minimal system intervention. There's no concept of levels, and quests only record what you see and hear. The map, time, and player status are not properly displayed. Without levels, there's no stat increase, making it extremely difficult to boost stats naturally. Instead, traits cover the part that stats would, but the difficulty in character growth is a point of agreement among everyone.

- Soy Sauce Gaybar: Hey, Professor, are you ready?

"Fuck no."

500,000. It's a 500,000 siling account. Normally, creating a new GG account takes at least a day, sometimes over three weeks of consideration. This is because the character creation stage has a significant impact on gameplay, and the opportunity cost of failure is enormous.

- NoruDrug: For the fun of the stream, let me ask one thing. Do you have any specific character appearance or traits in mind?

"Of course. I was a ranked player, after all. Warrior traits, like... 'Steadfast Will,' 'Blue Heart,' 'Veteran of a Hundred Battles (百戰老將),' and 'Growth Period'?"

- NoruDrug: Wow, look at that greed. Trying to get both 'Growth Period' and 'Veteran of a Hundred Battles.' A fresh veteran.

- HighWayNachoman: Isn't 'Blue Heart' a shield warrior trait? I checked the community records, and you were a greatsword warrior, right?

- Mukaba: Greatsword warriors see a lot of blood, so if you don't want to become a berserker, you need to pick at least one calm trait like 'Blue Heart.'

- HighWayNachoman: Who are you?

- Mukaba: Newbie.

- HighWayNachoman: ㅎㅇ.

- Mukaba: ㅇㅇ

All true. This game has been around for a long time, and the most ideal combinations for growth have been well-documented. 'Blue Heart' is a trait to prevent your character from becoming a bloodthirsty maniac, and 'Steadfast Will' strengthens the character's mental fortitude, allowing the player to maintain a clear mind.

- Soy Sauce Gaybar: Hey, Professor, you've had a refreshing drink of kimchi juice, so it's time to roll.

- Professor: Pfft.

Of course, it's all just a wild imagination. The character I'll end up with is a random trash character anyway.

"....Sure. We have to listen to our patron! Everyone, let's start the All Random 1 Negative Pick Play!"

I pressed the [Realistic Mode] and [All Random] buttons at the bottom of the traits window.

Ding-!

[Warning: Realistic Mode is not just about providing a realistic experience. All senses of the player and character will be 100% synchronized, and Gedroits Company will not provide any compensation for any fatal mental disorders or neurological injuries that may occur. Do you agree? YES / NO]

That's a pretty harsh warning.

“YES"

[Agreement confirmed. - Realistic / All Random - Game start.]

Swish-!

As soon as I pressed the button, the letters in the traits window started spinning like a roulette wheel, then began to slow down one by one. The first was, race.

- Jokass: Ticking, ticking, ticking, ticking.....

- Holy: Elf! I want to see an elf!

- Soy Sauce Gaybar: Tag: Horseman

- HighWayNachoman: I don't get what's so good about horsemen.

- Soy Sauce Gaybar: If horsemen don't wear special pants, their heavy lower bodies are visible.

- HighWayNachoman: Wow

- Mukaba: Info / Horsemen are the top pick for unlimited 18+ play.

Click!

+ Race: [Human]

+ Gender: [Male]

"Yes!!!"

- Soy Sauce Gaybar: Noooooo!!!!!

- Jokass: Boring.

- Soy Sauce Gaybar: Even the TS failed!

- NoruDrug: Soy Sauce Gaybar is having bad luck.

- Speed Wagon: It's more believable that the Professor rolled this while bowing so hard his forehead cracked.

- Gunpowder and Blood: Lack of sincerity.

Boring or not, humans are always good. In fact, when rolling randomly, humans come up more than 70% of the time. Since humans are the dominant race in most worlds, they have more events than other races. Most importantly, the people in the upper echelons who are clearing the game use humans, so it's easier to sell good items. As for gender, it doesn't matter much. I'm a man.

Next.

Swish-!

Click!

+ Age: Growth Period. 20 years.

+ Appearance: Set (Huge / Muscular / Pale / Rugged)

“Ooh!”

- Jokass: Not bad?

- Speed Wagon: He looks like a warrior, and his performance should be excellent.

- Soy Sauce Gaybar: No! Stop! This is invalid!

The character that appeared before me was the epitome of a warrior. Over 190 cm tall, with broad shoulders and a mountain-like chest, and a sea of back muscles! At 19, he still had room to grow, yet he was already this impressive!

In GG, appearance is as good as a stat. Starting with a muscular character gives you high base strength and strength potential, while a slender character has high agility, and a sickly-looking character has low maximum health. Moreover, a good-looking character gets positive bonuses in charisma and diplomacy, and is more likely to be revered as a hero for completing the same quest. Unfortunately, this character has sharp eyes and a rugged face with a beard like a nightshade, so there's no charm bonus, but as a warrior, he has the best foundation.

- Jokass: The atmosphere is getting intense.

- NamBaThree: With this momentum... maybe?

- Soy Sauce Gaybar: Kiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii